Adil Ray Faces Backlash for Fat Shaming 17 Year Old Luke Littler on Good Morning Britain
Good Morning Britain presenter Adil Ray is facing backlash after making controversial remarks about darts player Luke Littler’s appearance. The 50-year-old, who was hosting the ITV show alongside Kate Garraway on January 2, made comments regarding the 17-year-old’s weight after he secured a spot in the semi-finals of the World Darts Championship by defeating Nathan Aspinall 5-2, reported by the Daily Mail.
The incident occurred following a clip of Littler’s recent performance, where Ray began by saying he had something that “might not be very popular.” He then expressed concern about the young athlete’s weight, saying: “I’m a little bit worried about Littler. He’s 17 and he’s turning into the look of a darts player.” Ray went on to suggest that Luke’s parents might be worried about his weight, saying, “Look at him! He’s admitting to having pizzas before a match. I’d be a bit worried.”
Kate Garraway, who was co-hosting with Adil, challenged his concerns, pointing out that Littler is “so successful.” Ray responded by explaining, “He’s going to get more successful and he can keep on doing it, but I don’t want him to get too unhealthy.”
In a lighthearted attempt to defuse the tension, Kate suggested Adil should visit Littler with a carrot, to which he jokingly replied, “Just before the final. Here you go, I’ve got a salad for you from Pret.”
However, viewers were far from amused by Ray’s comments. Many accused him of “fat shaming” the teenage darts star. One viewer tweeted: “Disgusted with Adil Ray fat shaming a 17-year-old on #gmb this morning!” Another commented, “Adil Ray just casually fat shaming a 17-year-old kid on Good Morning Britain, should he be ashamed.”
Further reactions continued to pour in on social media. One viewer criticized the show for perpetuating body shaming, stating, “@GMB your hosts fat shaming Luke Littler, a 17-year-old boy, is unacceptable and unnecessary. Clearly a bitter and unhappy new year for Adil and Kate.” Others echoed similar sentiments, calling for an apology from Ray. “I can’t believe the body shaming by Adil Ray on this morning’s GMB about Luke Littler. This programme will have carried disapproving items on body shaming the past. Leave the young lad alone. Would he have said that about a woman? I think an apology is in order.”
The controversy has sparked heated debate about body image and the responsibilities of TV personalities when discussing young athletes.